QR code coupon redemptions ‘set to surge’

Written by Chris Lemmon

03/01/2017

Growing QR reader integration across mobile devices will drive the number of QR code coupons being redeemed over the next five years, new research from Juniper suggests.

The study predicted that the number of QR code coupons redeemed via mobile will reach 5.3 billion by 2022 – up from an estimated 1.3 billion in 2017.

Recent changes by Apple to include QR code reader functionality as part of the iPhone camera application has led Juniper to revise its mobile coupon forecasts upwards, predicting that more than one billion mobile devices will access coupons through QR codes by 2022.

Research author Lauren Foye said: “Apple’s addition of QR code reading facilities directly addresses a major barrier for use in Western markets. The lack of an in-built reader had been a hindrance, with consumers needing to download a separate QR code scanner app.”

In addition, Juniper found that mobile-enabled loyalty cards will double, with nearly four billion cards set to be active by 2022 – up from two billion in 2017. The growth of chatbots and voice assistants is also helping to drive consumer loyalty, according to the report, with such technologies aiding in delivering recommended offers and incentives.